U.S. Pat. No. 6,505,960 issued 2003 to Schubert et al, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, teaches a recessed lighting fixture comprises a housing comprising a sidewall extending downward to a lower housing aperture and terminating in a lip extending outwardly around at least a portion of the perimeter of the aperture, a slot in the sidewall extending away from the aperture and, at least one housing locking assembly positionable at a preselected height in the slot to clamp/mount the housing in an opening in a ceiling so that the housing extends into the space above the ceiling and the lip extends around a lower edge of the ceiling opening.
A disadvantage of the prior approach is a requirement for an additional frame resting on the ceiling surface adjacent an upper edge of the ceiling opening for sliding receipt of the housing and for clamping engagement by the locking assembly to protect the surface of the ceiling from damage from the pressure of the locking assembly when mounting the housing in the aperture.
An additional disadvantage is that the slot opens at a mouth at the bottom of the housing to admit the housing locking assembly resulting both in a weakening of a lower end of the housing and a broken lip at the lower end of the housing in direct engagement with the lower face of the ceiling which may not be visually pleasing.